AI talent is scarce, and U.S. startups feel it. Roles stay open for months, projects slow down, and competitors run ahead.
That’s why founders are turning to nearshore staffing agencies in Latin America. The region offers highly skilled AI engineers, time zone alignment with U.S. teams, and hiring processes that deliver results.
This guide breaks down the top nearshore and staffing companies for AI engineers in 2025, who they are, what they offer, and why they matter.
Read on!
How to Choose an AI Staffing & Recruitment Partner
Choosing the right partner for AI staffing requires more than scanning resumes. The best agencies know how to connect companies with AI engineers who bring technical and business value.
Start by clarifying the roles.
Do you need machine learning engineers to deploy models, data scientists for analytics, or computer vision specialists for AI projects? Clear priorities help a recruitment firm target the right candidates.
What to look for in an AI staffing partner:
- Proven ability to assess advanced AI technologies like deep learning and natural language processing
- Screening for both technical skills and soft skills
- Access to pre-vetted candidates from strong talent pools in Latin America
- Flexible models, from direct hire placements to contract AI developers
- Regional focus on nearshore teams for real-time collaboration
The right AI staffing partner doesn’t hand you a stack of resumes. They deliver AI professionals who are already vetted, aligned with your goals, and prepared to contribute to real projects from day one.
Top 11 Nearshore & Staffing Companies to Hire AI Engineers (2025)
1. LatamCent
LatamCent is a nearshore staffing company that focuses on helping U.S. startups build AI teams in Latin America.
Every candidate undergoes technical and soft skill vetting, so founders receive pre-vetted engineers who can integrate with existing workflows from day one. Speed is emphasized; most roles are filled in under three weeks, without sacrificing quality or compliance.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Direct hire and Talent as a Service (TaaS) options
- A curated pool of the top 10% of AI professionals in the region
- Compliance support covering IP rights and local hiring laws
- Ongoing support with a 100-day replacement guarantee
LatamCent has worked with SaaS companies in fintech, healthtech, and enterprise software, helping them expand AI initiatives faster while controlling costs and protecting runway.
2. Gini Talent
Gini Talent is a recruitment company that connects startups with AI engineers and broader tech talent from emerging markets, including Latin America. The firm emphasizes fast placements through a mix of pre-vetted candidates and tailored sourcing for AI roles.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Direct hire and contract placements for AI professionals
- Screening for both technical depth and communication skills
- Support across multiple AI domains, from data science to NLP
Notable clients include international startups scaling software and data teams across borders.
3. Turing
Turing positions itself as a global platform for hiring AI talent and software engineers, offering access to candidates from Latin America and beyond. The company combines automated vetting with a large talent pool of engineers who have experience in AI and machine learning.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- AI-focused vetting powered by proprietary matching systems
- Flexible engagement models, from contract to full-time hires
- Global support for distributed AI teams
Notable clients include enterprise technology firms and venture-backed SaaS companies scaling engineering capacity quickly.
4. Tecla
Tecla connects U.S. companies with Latin American engineers, including AI professionals. The firm has built a strong talent pool of remote-ready developers and data specialists who pass technical and soft skill vetting.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Direct placements of AI engineers and data scientists
- Candidate screening for time zone alignment and English fluency
- Flexible arrangements for contract or full-time hires
Notable clients include mid-market SaaS firms expanding into AI development while keeping distributed teams in sync.
5. HireWithNear
HireWithNear focuses on sourcing AI talent and tech professionals from across Latin America, helping startups build distributed teams without long hiring cycles. Their model emphasizes transparency in costs and quick access to pre-vetted candidates.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- End-to-end recruitment for AI and machine learning roles
- Vetting for both technical expertise and collaboration skills
- Guidance on compliance with regional labor laws
Notable clients include early-stage technology companies looking to add AI capabilities to existing software development teams.
6. Softtek
Softtek is one of the largest IT staffing companies in Latin America, with services extending to AI engineers and data science professionals. Its scale gives clients access to broad talent pools and established compliance processes for cross-border work.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Placement of AI and machine learning engineers
- Support for enterprise-scale digital and AI initiatives
- Long-term workforce management and ongoing support
Notable clients include Fortune 500 enterprises adopting artificial intelligence within large-scale digital transformation projects.
7. BairesDev
BairesDev is a well-known nearshore staffing agency that sources tech talent from Latin America, including specialized AI professionals. The company focuses on end-to-end delivery, pairing startups with engineers who have experience in software development and AI projects.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Direct hire and project-based staffing for AI roles
- Rigorous multi-stage vetting process for pre-vetted talent
- Scalable teams for long-term growth in SaaS and enterprise
Notable clients include global technology firms and startups that require quick integration of top tier AI talent into distributed teams.
8. Toptal
Toptal is a global recruitment company with a curated network of AI engineers and senior tech talent, including professionals based in Latin America. Their model emphasizes exclusivity by accepting only a small percentage of applicants into their talent pool.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Placement of AI developers, data scientists, and machine learning specialists
- Flexible arrangements for project-based or full-time needs
- Matching through strict multi-stage screening
Notable clients include innovation teams at Airbnb, Bridgestone, and early-stage SaaS firms needing top AI talent.
9. Andela
Andela began in Africa but has also expanded to offer nearshore AI staffing in Latin America. The company provides access to AI professionals who are remote-ready and vetted for technical and soft skills.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Access to AI and machine learning engineers across multiple regions
- Matching talent to software development projects and AI initiatives
- Ongoing support for distributed team collaboration
Notable clients include Microsoft, GitHub, and a growing number of SaaS startups that are adding AI capabilities to their products.
10. Devs Data
Devs Data specializes in sourcing highly technical AI engineers and data science professionals for global clients, with reach into Latin America. They focus on pairing companies with pre-vetted talent with experience in artificial intelligence and advanced software development.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Contract and direct hire for AI and ML engineers
- Screening for technical and communication skills
- Support for complex AI projects in finance, SaaS, and analytics
Notable clients include fintech startups and enterprise firms building AI initiatives.
11. Total Perform
Total Perform is a staffing agency that supports U.S. companies by sourcing tech talent and AI professionals from Latin America. Its focus is on finding qualified candidates quickly, and its process is designed for startups under pressure to scale.
Nearshore staffing services include:
- Recruitment for AI developers, data engineers, and ML specialists
- Tailored vetting for technical and soft skills
- Flexible staffing models for short- and long-term needs
Notable clients include growth-stage SaaS companies expanding AI teams across multiple regions.
Roles Filled by AI-Focused Nearshore Staffing Companies
Machine Learning Engineers & Data Scientists
Machine learning engineers and data scientists form the backbone of most AI initiatives.
Nearshore staffing companies in Latin America help SaaS and enterprise firms hire AI software engineers with proven experience in machine learning models, predictive analytics, and data science workflows.
Recruiters don’t just check technical skills. They screen for soft skills like collaboration, problem-solving, and communication, all critical for distributed AI teams. With pre-vetted candidates and structured hiring processes, companies gain faster access to qualified professionals who can support AI development without long lead times.
Typical responsibilities filled through AI staffing agencies include:
- Designing and deploying machine learning models at scale
- Building pipelines that connect raw data to production-ready AI models
- Partnering with engineers to align AI capabilities with business goals
- Applying deep learning techniques to complex datasets
Computer Vision & NLP Specialists
Computer vision architects and natural language processing (NLP) engineers are some of the hardest AI roles to fill.
Nearshore recruitment firms expand the talent pool by sourcing Latin American engineers already experienced in AI technologies like image recognition, speech-to-text, and generative text models.
For startups and enterprises, the benefit comes from a mix of technical depth and immediate availability. Instead of waiting months, companies can plug in contract talent or direct hires who’ve built real-world AI applications before.
Roles frequently sourced by AI staffing partners:
- CV engineers for image classification and video analysis
- NLP developers for chatbots and AI-powered tools
- Data engineers supporting AI and machine learning pipelines
- Specialists in software development focused on AI projects
MLOps & AI Infrastructure Engineers
AI projects delay without engineers who can move models into production.
MLOps specialists and AI infrastructure engineers handle that handoff. Nearshore staffing agencies in Latin America connect companies with professionals who understand pipelines, monitoring, and deployment.
Typical responsibilities include:
- Designing automation for training and deployment
- Building CI/CD workflows for AI models
- Tracking performance once models are live
- Reducing cloud costs and improving system reliability
With pre-vetted candidates available through AI staffing agencies, SaaS teams gain stability and scale faster.
Prompt Engineers & LLM-Focused Talent
Large language models created a demand for new roles. Prompt engineers and LLM specialists test, adapt, and improve model outputs for business use cases.
Recruitment companies in the region now provide access to this growing pool of AI professionals.
Roles usually filled by staffing partners:
- Prompt engineers refining LLM instructions
- ML algorithm developers integrating generative AI into apps
- AI implementation specialists fine-tuning models for industry tasks
- Advanced analytics engineers validating output against product goals
Sourcing from Latin American engineers speeds up the hiring process and adds time zone compatibility for AI teams working with U.S. companies.
AI QA Testers & Technical Product Managers
Scaling AI initiatives requires both testing and leadership.
Front-end QA engineers stress-test systems, check datasets, and confirm that predictions hold up in production. Technical program managers define priorities, create job descriptions, and link engineering work to customer needs.
What staffing agencies deliver here:
- Testers who understand AI and machine learning workflows
- Product managers with both technical fluency and business sense
- Qualified candidates ready to coordinate in-functional AI teams
Together, these hires improve quality and keep projects aligned with measurable business outcomes.
What to Look for in a Nearshore Staffing Partner for AI Talent
Experience With AI, ML, and Deep Learning Roles
Not every staffing agency understands the difference between a data scientist and a machine learning engineer. The best nearshore and staffing companies to hire generative AI engineers specialize in roles in artificial intelligence, including deep learning, predictive analytics, and AI development.
When evaluating candidates, it’s not just about coding tests.
Top partners look at technical and soft skills: Can the engineer optimize machine learning models while also collaborating with distributed nearshore teams?
What strong agencies bring to the table:
- A talent pool of pre-vetted professionals in Latin America
- Structured recruitment services for AI-specific roles
- Screening processes that measure business impact, not only technical depth
This mix creates access to top AI talent that can adapt quickly to complex projects.
Access to Talent Skilled in Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, etc.
Modern AI engineers need fluency in more than one tool.
The stack, which includes Python and frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch, defines how quickly models move from prototype to production.
A good AI staffing agency in Latin America sources engineers who work with these frameworks daily. That speeds up the hiring process and reduces ramp-up time when teams build machine learning models.
You’ll want a partner who can:
- Provide qualified candidates with hands-on experience in popular AI libraries
- Match engineering talent to your AI initiatives, whether vision, NLP, or predictive tasks
- Offer flexible engagement models like contract talent, direct hire, or ongoing support
With the right partner, you’ll access top-tier AI professionals who can deliver results within your software development roadmap.
Fast Hiring Timelines & Strong Vetting Process
Scaling AI projects requires quick access to qualified people. A capable AI staffing agency in Latin America should present candidates in weeks, not months.
Speed matters, but so does accuracy in the hiring process.
Good partners combine technical tests, data science problem sets, and soft skill evaluations to build reliable shortlists of pre-vetted talent. That balance reduces risk and keeps projects moving forward.
Strong vetting includes:
- Technical coding challenges in AI frameworks
- Scenario-based evaluations for production readiness
- References checked against past AI development work
Compliance With IP Ownership & Data Privacy Laws
When hiring AI engineers, protecting code and sensitive data is critical. Agencies must create contracts that transfer intellectual property rights clearly and respect international privacy laws. Overlooking this exposes companies to disputes and compliance costs.
Staffing agencies with experience in nearshore AI hiring handle this by offering standardized agreements, guidance on local labor laws, and clear IP clauses.
That legal foundation keeps investments in artificial intelligence secure.
Safe practices include:
- Written ownership of algorithms and models
- Privacy safeguards for sensitive datasets
- Labor agreements aligned with local and U.S. standards
Ability to Integrate With AI Dev Workflows
Hiring top AI talent is only useful if new engineers adapt to existing workflows. Agencies should prioritize candidates familiar with GitHub, cloud platforms, and CI/CD pipelines that modern AI teams depend on.
A reliable staffing agency evaluates how candidates work inside distributed setups, not just what they know on paper. That reduces ramp-up time and keeps velocity high.
Integration checks cover:
- Proficiency with MLOps and collaboration tools
- Experience in sprint-based delivery cycles
- Readiness for cross-functional software development teams
Top AI-Focused Nearshoring Providers
| Company | AI Roles | Time to Hire | Tech Specialties | Countries Covered | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LatamCent | AI/ML Engineers, Data Scientists, Computer Vision, NLP, MLOps, RevOps AI PM | ~21 days | AI, ML, Deep Learning, Data Science, NLP | Latin America (regional focus) | Direct Hire – Retained; TaaS – Talent as a Service |
| Gini Talent | AI Engineers, Data Scientists, NLP Specialists | 3–6 weeks | Data Science, AI Development, Software Engineering | LATAM + Global | Contract + Direct Hire |
| Turing | ML Engineers, AI Developers, Data Engineers | 2–6 weeks | AI, ML, Software Development, LLM | Global (LATAM included) | Subscription / Matching Platform |
| Tecla | AI Engineers, Data Scientists, Full-Stack AI Devs | 3–5 weeks | Software Development, AI, Data Analytics | Latin America | Contract + Direct Hire |
| HireWithNear | AI & ML Engineers, Data Engineers | 2–4 weeks | AI, Software Development, Compliance Support | Latin America | Transparent Cost + Direct Hire |
| Softtek | AI Engineers, Data Scientists, Enterprise AI Consultants | 4–8 weeks | AI, ML, Enterprise IT, Digital Transformation | Latin America + Global | Project-Based + Managed Services |
| BairesDev | AI Engineers, Data Scientists, AI QA | 3–6 weeks | AI, ML, Data Science, Software Development | Latin America | Project-Based + Direct Hire |
| Toptal | AI Engineers, Data Scientists, ML Specialists | 1–4 weeks | AI, ML, Data Science, Software Development | Global (LATAM included) | Premium Hourly + Project Pricing |
| Andela | AI Engineers, ML Engineers, Data Scientists | 3–5 weeks | AI, ML, Data Science, Remote Team Integration | LATAM + Africa | Subscription + Direct Hire |
| Devs Data | AI Engineers, Data Scientists, ML Specialists | 4–6 weeks | AI, ML, Data Science, Analytics | Global (LATAM included) | Contract + Direct Hire |
| Total Perform | AI Developers, Data Engineers, ML Specialists | 3–6 weeks | AI, ML, Software Development | Latin America | Contract + Flexible Engagement |
How LatamCent Helps U.S. Startups Hire Top AI Engineers
LatamCent connects U.S. startups with AI engineers from Latin America, focusing on speed, quality, and compliance. Every candidate is pre-vetted for technical and soft skills, ensuring they can contribute immediately to production work.
Startups don’t wait months.
LatamCent fills AI roles in under 21 days, giving founders fast access to specialists in machine learning, data science, deep learning, and computer vision. All hires are fluent in English, aligned with U.S. business culture, and ready to integrate with existing software development teams.
Services include:
- Direct hire and TaaS (Talent as a Service) options
- Access to the top 10% of AI talent in the region
- Flexible placements for AI professionals, from data scientists to ML experimentation engineers
- Guidance on compliance with intellectual property and local hiring laws
- Ongoing support with replacements covered by a 100-day guarantee
For startups under pressure to build quickly and protect runway, LatamCent offers more than resumes.
It delivers qualified candidates who can develop and scale real AI initiatives, without the delays, churn, or compliance risks of traditional recruiting.
Conclusion
Hiring AI engineers doesn’t need to drain your runway.
With the right nearshore partner, you gain vetted talent, faster timelines, and compliance structures that protect your IP and budgets.
Startups working with Latin American teams already see the benefits: real-time collaboration, lower churn, and engineers who stay long enough to move models from prototype to production.
If you want that speed and stability, LatamCent is your first call. Contact us today and start building your AI team in under 21 days.
